God wants us to be fluent enough in the gospel to share it like a story. Jesus frequently used stories because they are such a powerful way to communicate.
The gospel is the true story of Jesus Christ set in the context of Israel’s history with God.
Each of the four Gospels are presented in story form. We learn about Jesus from seeing how he was born, lived, died, rose again, and later ascended into heaven, where he now rules, waiting for the Father’s set time for his return to judge all people. In the Gospel story, we see how our Lord Jesus interacted with God the Father and those who lived around him. We listen to his words and marvel at his deeds.
In the gospel, we encounter the Creator and Sustainer of the universe who became a human being.
Each one of us has a personal story to tell, too. Our life stories are set in the context of the history of our families, when and where we have lived, what we have gone through, decisions we made, opportunities we received, victories we won, battles we lost, and any number of factors that make us unique and interesting.
Being a witness for Christ involves telling our own stories, with a special emphasis on how Jesus intersected our lives and the difference he made and is making. Ideally, our story should enable us to share His story, so that Jesus can become a major part of our listener’s story, too.
If we familiarize ourselves with the gospel message, we can learn to present the Jesus story in our own words. Through practice we can get more and more proficient and confident. When we are able blend our own story with the story of Jesus, it can be very effective. The Apostle Paul was a master at telling his own story and going right to the punch line of the gospel message – Jesus’ death for our sins and resurrection as the Lord who will come again as the judge of all the earth.
The Gospel can be presented in a variety of ways, depending on the leading of the Holy Spirit and the need and openness of the hearer. Below are some of the essential elements of the Gospel story. It is a good idea to study these in order to be able to share from the heart. If you can mix in a few relevant Bible verses, it will be even better.
The Essential Elements of the Gospel
- Creation. This is where it all started for us. The creation story includes acknowledging that the Creator has always existed and reigns supreme. Creation means we owe our very existence to God, upon whom we were meant to rely. John Chapter One reveals that Jesus is the Creator. (John 1:3)
- Mankind’s Rebellion. Adam and Eve chose to believe the devil’s lie that God cannot be trusted. They disobeyed him in an effort to become like God in order to be able to navigate life on their own. The essence of sin is self rule apart from God. Adam’s sin brought death to the human race and separated us from God. (Isaiah 53:6) This rebellion against God’s rule has permeated all of humanity and is the basic sin for which we need forgiveness and restoration. People are unable to save themselves because we are all sinners under judgment. Salvation would have to come from elsewhere.
- Promise of a Savior. God took the initiative to provide amnesty and forgiveness to all those who want it. He promised Abraham, who became the father of the Jewish people, that one of his descendants would be a blessing to the entire earth. (Genesis 22:18) He later promised King David, one of Abraham’s offspring, that one of his descendants would rule on God’s throne forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13) God also promised that he would establish what is called a New Covenant, which would provide people with a “new heart” toward God and forgiveness of sins. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
- Birth of Jesus. The four gospels show how Jesus’ birth fulfilled these prophecies and promises. As prophesied, Jesus was born to a virgin through the supernatural activity of God. (Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:22-23) The eternal and pre-existent Son of God became a human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. (John 1:14) This enabled him to be a perfect sacrifice for our sins, in accordance with John the Baptist’s announcement that Jesus was the Lamb of God. (John 1:29) He lived and died in complete obedience to his heavenly Father, undoing the rebellion of Adam, and became the progenitor of a new race of humans through what is called the “new birth.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
- Jesus’ Itinerant Ministry. Jesus spent three years announcing and ushering in God’s kingdom on earth. (Acts 10:38) As the Messiah King designate, Jesus preached the Good News of God’s kingdom rule and performed the works of that kingdom – healings, miracles, deliverances, resurrections, and forgiving sins. He befriended those who were humble enough to admit they needed him. He elevated the worth of women by including them in his traveling band of disciples. He taught with authority about God’s kingdom and his loving, but just, Father. Jesus claimed to be the one God had promised – the long awaited Messiah and eternal Son of God. In doing all this, he made the religious authorities jealous and angry; so much so that they put him to death as an act of supreme defiance against God’s rule over them.
- Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection. As part of God’s eternal plan, Jesus was put to death on a cross as God’s Lamb, who took away the sins of the world. (Isaiah 53:7) He was buried, and after three days he rose again. His resurrection validated his claims to be God’s Messiah and the Lord of Lords. (Romans 1:1-4) His resurrection also proved that his Father accepted his sacrifice on our behalf. After appearing to his disciples and teaching them for forty days, he ascended into heaven where he now sits at God’s right hand as Lord of lords.
- The Sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower his disciples to be bold and effective witnesses to his resurrection. He told them to go and make disciples throughout the world. (Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18)
- Second Coming, General Resurrection, and Final Judgment. Jesus promised that he will come again to raise the dead and sit in judgment upon every human being who has ever lived. (Matthew 16:27) He will assign them their eternal reward, good or bad. He will reign forevermore as God’s King of Kings with his church at his side. (Colossians 3:1-4)
This is the Gospel.
The Desired Response
We share the Gospel to help people come face to face with Jesus’ claim to absolute sovereignty over all creation and his magnanimous offer to pardon all rebels who will accept his rule in their lives. Allegiance to Jesus is the desired response.
People need to know that only Jesus can provide forgiveness for our rebellion against the rule of God. They need to understand that they will be held accountable to him at the last judgment for how they lived and responded to the gospel message.
As part of our surrender terms, we are able to receive all the benefits of his death and resurrection: forgiveness, reconciliation to God, being set free from all that enslaves us, having our guilt permanently removed, and receiving eternal life, the indwelling Spirit, and all the benefits and privileges of being God’s child.
The true story of the gospel has the power to save people and set them free. (Romans 1:16) Let’s make a habit of sharing it regularly with as many as we can. If we work at it, we will become very good at sharing it. There is no telling how many people will one day thank us for this service.
